Machine for treating race rings for bearings



Oct; 7,1941.

0. ISTORZ -2,258 ,037 MACHINE FOR TREATING RAQE RINGS FOR BEARINGS Filed Marh 14, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' O.' STORZ Oct. 7, 1941.

MACHINE FOR TREATING RACE RINGS FOR BEARINGS Filed March 14, 1939 4 Sheet s-Sheefr. 2

' 0&7, 1941. (15mm v 2,258,037 Y MACHINE FOR TREATING RACE R] IN GS FOR BEARINGS 'Fil ed Mafch' 14, 19:59, 4 shee tssl aeet a "Patented Oct. 7, 1941 PA'iENT ,OFFICE om Storz, Valparaiso; m. assignor toueam' Manufacturing Company, Valparaiso, Ind, a

\ corporation of Indiana Application March 14 1939, Serial Nannies 1 Claims. (01. 51-58) This invention relates to the lapping or polishing of surfaces, such as the running surfaces of irotating precision parts such as ball-bearing race rings, and more particularly to apparatus for performing the lapping operation. The in-' .vention will be described with respect to bearing race rings for convenience, although it may be used for other devices.

Bearing race rings, on which the balls or rollers of the bearing roll, are very accurately and finely ground to the dimensions desired and are thereafter, at least in the case of high quality bearings, lapped or polished along the running surface on which the balls or rollers roll. The

difference between a finely ground surface and I a lapped surface maysperhaps be made most clear by stating that although a finely ground surface is sufliciently smooth so that when viewed alone it would probably be considered by the inexperienced-to be polished,'thelapped surface is so highly polished and mirror-like that it makes the ground surface'look dull by contrast. The

- extreme smoothness of the mirror-like lapped surfaceis of course highly desirable for the running surface of bearings to eliminate friction as 2; ,much as possible.

v The lapping of race rings in the past has been an expensive procedure and for. that reason has 7 been omitted except in high quality bearings.

Each running surface has required a great, deal of time of a worker, the race ring being put on a rotatingspindie or chuck and the worker applying the lapping tool to the raceway and oscillating it so that the raceway would not become grooved. Furthermore, the operator must be somewhat skilled in order to apply the right pressure and manipulate the toolv properly. Ac-

. cording to the present invention a machine is provided on which therings may be applied with the greatest ease and which automatically oscil- 4o iates the lapping tool thereon, the machine being designed to apply the proper pressure so that .the' lapping is done as well as it could be done by a skilled worker :under the best working conditions and much more dependably than it could "be done by less skilled workers under any conditions. One relatively unskilled operator is able to load and otherwise attend to several machines.

-.The ease of application of a race ring to} the machine is secured by using a centerless type of "rotative'gsupport on whichthe race ring is rested including two closely spaced rotating rolls. Thus.

the ring is supported in such manner that either an inside running surface or an outside running I surface may be lapped. with such precision adjusted by means of-a right andleft-handscrew work it is important that the driving rolls be kept true; andthis is made practical by'a trimming unit which operates on" the rolls without removing them from the machine. This in turn makes adjustment of the rolls necessary, and

adequate means for adjusting them and properly driving them in spite of the adjustment'is vpro- Y vided.

' Additional advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of one bankof machines chosen for illustration of the invention.

mgigi. 2 is an end viewfof the structure shown in I Fig. 3 is afragmentary view taken approxi-- mately on the line 3-} of Fig. 1, showing the drive for the oscillating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view I taken.approximately on the line H of Fig. 1

or Fig.5.

Fig; 5 is a view taken. approximately on the" iinel-SofFig.4.'

. Figs. 6 and 'l are fragmentary front and side views respectively of a modified form of .Figs. 8 to 10 are fragmentaryviewssimilarto I Fig. 2 but showing. successive steps in the oscillation of the lapping tool.

Fig; 11 is a fragmentary view partly in section of a modification of the lapping arm and head for use particularly with" race rings for roller bearings.

In Fig. 1 four individual machines or units have been shown'supported by theframe ll. This number may be increased or decreased if desired.

Each unit includes a pair of drivin rolls l2 which are slightly spaced apart so that they may rotate freelyand yet support a race ring l4 between them. As seen in Fig. 2, each driving roll I! is carried by a shaft II, on the far end of which is keyed a pulley l'l which is driven by a belt II,

the latter in turn being driven by a motor ll. One suitable mounting for the shaft I. can be seen in Fig. 4, wherein-it is seen that one ball bearing 2| is provided near the pulley end of the shaft while two ball bearings 22 are provided at the end of the shaft the driving roll [1. The bearings 2| and "may be-supported in a suitable housing 24 which may, if desired be made of cast iron. Each of the housings I is slidably mounted on two hexagonal bars ll. The

spaclniibetween the two driving rolls I! may be rection it draws the housings closer together. When the housings 24 have been adjusted to the desired positions, they may be secured in place V by a screw 24 which screws into the housing 24 and slides in a slot in the bed 29 which supports the bars 24.

' The belt It drives both of the pulleys I1 and may be adjusted automatically for the proper. tension in spite of movement of the housings 24.

. One very simple and satisfactory form of adjustment is that shown in Fig. 1, in which the belt I! extends from the motor I9 upwardly over the outside of the pulleys, and downwardly from the inside of the pulleys to and around an idler pulley 3 I. This idler pulley is urged downwardly by a lever 32 which may be pivoted to the frame at 33 and may carry a weight 34 at its free end. For this arrangement the belt I 8 willalways have the same tension determined by the weight of the weight '34 regardless of the positions of the housing's 24. The use of a single belt insures exact synchronism of the two driving rolls I2.

One satisfactory form for the roll H has been shown in Fig. 4, in which it oomprises'an annular ring secured to the shaft by two clamp plates 36, clamped against the roll I2 by nut 31. The roll I2 may be of any suitable material. A mixture of rubber and grit has been found to be very satisfactory in a commercial embodiment of the invention. Such rolls have a high coefficient of friction with the ring I4 and yet wear very well and stand up. well under the heat that v is generated in the lapping of the ring I4.

' After the ring I4 has been set on the pair of adjacent rolls I2, or as it is set thereon, the lapping tool will be swung into position. The lapping tool comprises an arm 4I pivoted at 42 to a suitable bracket 43, and having a suitable treating member at its end. The bracket 43 includes a threaded supporting portion 45 which may beadjusted vertically if desired as is apparent in Fig. 4. The treating member 44 could be a hone but is preferably felt, having a layer of emery cloth 48 applied thereunder. The felt 44 is preferably so shaped that it will fit nicely within the groove 41 of the ring 4. The emerycloth 46 is urged against the ring I4 with the proper amount of pressure by a link Y48' and spring 49, and the characteristics of the felt 44 cause it to frictionally retain the emery cloth on its face against slipping and at the same time provide a backing which is "at least very slightly yielding under the pressure of the spring 49.

In lapping revolving surfaces, it is necessary for the lapping element to oscillate so that it will not groove the surface. .Accerding to the present invention this is accomplished in the manner seen best in Figs. 8 to 10. A shaft SI is suitably driven and carries a cam 52 thereon. A cam follower 53,1s carried by a rod 54 which carries a shelf 56 to which the bracket 43 is secured. As the shaft i and its cam 52 rotate,

theshelf Stand rod are reciprocated vertical ly between the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 10. This causes the arm M to shift between the?- corresponding positions shownin Figs. 8 and 10. This'in turn rocks the feitflin the groove 41, or, in other words, oscillates it and the emery cloth 46 within the groove 41, so that scoring of the surface of this groove is prevented.

. The shaft SI may be driven as shown in Fig. 3 by a motor 51 operating through a gear reduc- 2,258,037 21 which is threaded'into the housings 24, and

tion box a and a drive chain as. The shaft uis rotated slowly enough so that it may be rotated continuously without stopping it while the rings I4 are applied or removed at the individ- 5 ual units in the complete bank of units as shown in- Fig. 1. In a multiple machine as shown there are at least two of the rods 54 positioned approximately at opposite ends of the shelf 56,

I4 may then be removed, another ring inserted.

the latch 83 released by the handle 56, and the felt 44 lowered into place on the ring I4 with-a new piece or portion of emery cloth therebetween. The motor I9 may then be started again to continue the operation on the new ring I4. As a matter of fact, it is not vital that the motor be turned off, as the operator can. become sumciently dexterous to apply or remove the race ring from the. rollers by means of a rod-like implement while the rollers are rotating.

This apparatus is especially suitable for bearing rings which are grooved. Not only does the reciprocation of the bracket 43 cause the oscillation of the felt 44 in the groove 41, but also the interaction between the felt 44 with the emery cloth thereon and the groove 4'| retains the ring I4 in place on the driving rolls I2 and even shiftsthe ring I4 back and forth along the rolls I2 as the bracket 43 reciprocates. In other words, with the grooved rings I4 it is not necessary to provide means forpositioning the rings I4 on the rolls I2, for the movement of the pivot 42 from and closer to the rings l4 as raising, or lowering of the arm bracket 43 relative 'to the-shelf 56 at the threaded por ion I of the bracket; 45 A modification of the pivoted lapping arm 4| is illustrated in Fig. 11, wherein a treating head 44' is pivotably mounted on the arm. The head itself may be .of such material as to directly lap or treat the raceway 41' of a roller bearing race 59 ring I4, or a piece of emery cloth may be applied to the underside of the head as previously described. With the pivotedmounting-for the head it will follow the axially extending straight surface of the raceway, oscillating without change of position angularly, as contrasted to the somewhat angular or rotative oscillating movement of the fixed head 44 me rounded raceway.

Partly because of the ',necessity of letting-the so ring I4 shift back and forth as the arm 45 is reciproeated, it is important that the surfaces of the rolls I2 be true. Likewise, in order that there be no slippage between one roll I2 and the ring I4 dueflto differing. surface speeds of the rolls, it is important that the two rolls be of exactly the same size. To this end a trimming unit is preferably provided which will trim, "gboth rolls'simultaneously and evenly. It should be realized that during the lapping of a ring I4 a great deal of heat-is generated by the lapping frictionand the ring I4 therefore becomes quite hot The heat probably increases thewear of the ring on the rolls, but even, without the wear the rolls would of course become slightly grooved 7.5 in time if they were never trimmed.

slightly away with additional rods 54 at intermediate points if nor means for compensating a result of the other cutting tool.

Oneformoftrimmingunitisseenbestin Figs. 4 and 5. A suitable housing l! is securedto the frame and positioned generally above and between the two housings 24. Within the housing," a shaft II is slidably positibned, being keyed to prevent its rotation. It may be reciprocated forwardly and'rearwardly by'means of a rack 12 and a pinion ll,which' latter may be operated by a hand crank ll as seen bestin Fig. 7. At the front end of the shaft 1| there is positioned ahead II in which are positioned two sliding holders ll, each carrying a suitable trimming point ll which may be'a diamond or The holders 11 may be ad- Justed by means'of screws ll. A's thecrank I4 is rotated, the trimming point II will be moved along the surface of the rotating rolls i2, thus 7 screws I! may be adjusted to determine the size to which each roll will be trimmed and to trimming any unevenness from these rolls. The

make the sizes of the two rolls substantially equal. Once the screws 1'! have been adiusted, they will not ordinarily need to be readjusted for each use since the adjustment of the two rolls l2- toward one another by. turning screw.

21 will cause the points II to be in a different relative position with reference to the surface of the rolls and to trim the rolls 1! as soon as the crank I4 is operated to move the points ll back and forthacross the rolls. Figs. 6,and 7 show a modification in which the parts are a little more compactly positioned. In this form'the sliding point holders I1 are angularly disposed, as seen best in Fig. 8, and thus their points 18' engage the rolls II at positions closer together than do the points It. This is advantageous in substantially eliminating the needfor adjustment of the screws I! once they have been'adiusted to trim the rolls l2 to the same size. In'other words, the points 'II' will come closer totrimming the rolls llto a depth equal to the movement of the rolls by screw 2! than will the poi ts II, and will thus tend to keep the spacing 1' rolls I! more nearly constant in spite of trimming and adjustment of the rolls..

Although'the emery cloth may be in the form of small pieces. one inserted under each of the felts M at 'the time that the felt is applied.

to the ring. it is preferred that the emery cloth be in the form of rolled-up strips automatically fed to present a new surface to the race ring each time a new ring is inserted. One suitable form -of automatic feeding apparatus is best seen in Figs. 4 and 5. A reel Ii, of emery cloth may be supported by an extension 82 of the bracket .43. From this reel the cloth may be threaded through guide loops around the felt, and

- through or around guides II to a reel 81 which is automatically actuated to 'draw the emery cloth through the loops and to wind it up. The

' u or the friction washer automatic actuation may desirably be accomratchet wheel li secured to the reel 81. Friction. braking means comprisinga friction washer 02 and a springclip-Ij tightened by a wing. 'n'ut Q4v may be applied to-each of the reels OI and" 81, it being understood that the sprlngclip supporting the reel in each case.

to the stud I! is cai'ried by the arm ii. 'The The pawl l2, or both. are keyed ofthe pawl 8. due tosuch' oscillation. liowever, when the arm ll. is tilted to its inactive position, the movement of the pawl ll is suf-' iicient tocause it topass to the next tooth and hence feed the' emery cloth upon the return movement of the arm I after the latch ll is released. The size of the teeth onratchet wheel:

Ii is preferably such that the emery cloth will be fed just far enough to supply an entirely new surface to each of the successive rings-which is applied to the lapping machine. To minimize the variations in the feeding. the reel .1 will preferably have its core ll positioned remotely from the axis of the .reel II. and of course the size of. the teeth on ratchet wheel ll should be sufficient to provide the desired feeding action of the emery cloth. even when it is being 7 wound directly on the core it.

From the foregoing it is seen that a machine for lapping race rings and the like been provided which is eircee'dingly simple to operate and yet exceedingly dependable in its results. The rings may be placed on the machine without any adjustment of the machine for gripping the rings, and the lapping arm swung into place,

and thereafter no attention be necessary until the lapping is. completed. The movement of the arm will automatically feed the emery cloth, and the oscillation of the lapping tool and the emery cloth thereon. together with the provision of the spring for limiting the force. of

application, and the felt for spreading the force K a to provide a uniform pressure. make the automatic and rapid use of the emery cloth entirely practical.

L The disclosures of this ap lication are illustrative and the inventionis not to be limited by them. In fact, if modifications or improvements are not at once obvious, they may be devised in the course of time'to make additional use of the broad ideas taught and covered by;

bracket, means for oscillating said bracket, an

arm pivoted to said bracket and having-a treating member on the end thereof, means-"for urgits ' plished by means of 'a pawl ll actuating a. I

ing said treating. member constantly against a surface of the ring, the oscillation ofY'the bracket causing an oscillation of the arm .tovary the contact between the treating member and the ring, and said arm beingshiftabl'e to an inactive position to permit removalof the ring. and means operated by the shifting of to apply a fresh. treating surface to said treating member.

2. Apparatus for-treating optionally th m."

side surface or outside surface of a ring, including a pair of closely and horizontally spaced driving rolls having true peripheral surfaces adapted to support and roli 'a ring between them. said ring having'a' true peripheral surface, means for driving said driving rolls, a bracket, means for ordinary oscillation of this aim, however, pref erably does not keep feedin'g the emery cio'th 4', this beingpr'evented' by providing thegratohet oscillating said brac'ket, an arm pivoted to said bracket and having a single treating member on the endthereof small enough to fitYwithin a'ring to treat the thereof andsaid same member likewise being optionally eagageable wheel 9| with teeth larger than-the movement with the outside of ta tr at th same, and means for urging said treating mem-- ber constantly into sliding engagement with a surface of the ring, the oscillation of the bracket causing an oscillation of the arm to. vary the contact between the ring and the treating member and rolls, respectively, the said roll and ring peripheral surfaces guiding the treating member to freely follow the shape 0f'3the surface being treated.

. 3. Apparatus for' lapping optionally the running groove in the inside or outside surface of a ball-bearing ring, including a pair of closely and horizontally spaced driving rolls adapted to support and roll a ring between them and having cy- .lindrical surfaces permitting the ring to move providing for an angular movementof the lapping unit over the surface of the groove, the lapping unit shifting the ring axially along the rolls with each oscillation.

4. In an apparatus for lapping race way in bearing rings. including a centerless support adapted to support and rotate said ring, a lapping unit, mounting means supporting said lapping unit spaced in an axial, direction from ,the centerless support, said lapping unit having an extension in one direction from said mounting means with one end thereof overlying the center- 'less support to lap a ring on said support, and

having an extension in the other direction having a hand grip at one end for gripping to pivot the unit toward and away from a supported ring atthe one end of said first extension and oscil-' lating means for effecting a relative movement between said ring and said unitand support, respectively, to provide for the'free following of said unit over the complete surface of said bearing race way.

5. In an apparatus for lapping race ways in bearing rings, ,including a center-less support adapted to support and rotate said ring, the combination of a bracket, an arm pivoted to said bracket and having a lapping unit on the end thereof, said arm being shiftable to an inactive position to permit removal of the ring, treating material in a continuous strip having a treating surface thereon, supporting means for said strip to position the same over a face of the lapping unit, means in engagement with said strip operated by the shifting of said arm to apply a fresh treating surface to said lapping unit, and means for oscillating said bracket to effect a transverse movement of said lapp n unit in the race way and an axial movement of said ring relative to said support, to provide for the free following of said unit Over the complete surface of said race way.

6. In apparatus for treating the surface of a ring having centerless support means for rotating and supporting a ring, and axis means for said support, means, the combination of a treating unit for engagement with a surface of a. ring on the support means having a hand grip portion at one end and a treating portion at the other end, upright means supporting said treating unit intermediate the ends thereof, with said treating portion spaced above the centerless support means and said unit extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis means for said support means and toward said support means from a position spaced axially therefrom, and means providing relative oscillatory movement between said treating portion and the treated surface of a ring. r a

7. Apparatus for treating optionally the in side surface or outside surface of a ring, including a pair of axially supp rted driven rollers having their axes parallel but spaced apart radially in position to support and 'roll a. ring on said rollers, an arm extending substantially parallel to the axes of said rollers and spaced vertically therefrom, said arrn having a single treating member thereon positioned above said rollers to bear down optionally upon the inside surface or the outsidesurface' of the ring'for treating a surface, means for supporting said arm including pivot means extending generally transversely of the roller axes, 'a vertically movable support for saidpivot means,

moving said movable support to provide relative oscillatory movement between said treating member and the treated ring.

8. Apparatus for treating the surface of a ring .including a pair of axially supported rollers having their axes parallel but spaced apart radially in position to support and roll a ring on said rollers, vertically movable mounting means extending transversely relative to the axes of said rollers and positioned substantially intermediate lines extending in an axial direction from the roller axes, treating means pivotally mounted on said mounting means,'said treating means having a treating portion thereon for bearing down against a surface of a ring on said rollers, means ing portion for retaining 'said treating means on the ring while said mounting means is moved up, and down to provide relative. oscillatory motion between the treating portion and the ring, and means for moving said mounting means up and down. 9 In apparatus for treating optionally the inside surface or outside surface of a ring including rotary c'enterless support means having axis means, with said centerless support means adapt ed to support and roll a ring thereon, the combination-of ring surface treating means having anextension thereon extending substantially parallel to the support means axis means and spaced vertically therefrom, upright means supporting said treatingmeans and spaced in a'direction from the centerless support means corre sponding to the axial line of said axis means, said extension having a single treating portion thereon small enough to fit within a ring to bear against the inside surface thereof and equally adapted to bear againstthe outside surface of said ring, means for raising and lowering said upright means with reference to said centerless support means to position said treating portion optionally upon the inside or outside surface of the ring, and means for continually moving said o treating portion to shift the ring relative to saidtreating portion and to said centerless support means to treat the engaged surface on the ing uniformly.

10. In apparatus for lapping a surface including frame means'and rotary-supporting means for a work piece, the combination of means for and means reciprocatingly operatively connected with said treatingrmeans piece and to cause relative pivotal movement with said supporting means upon the up and down movement of said supporting means. I

11. Apparatus for lapping surfaces of rings including frame means, a plurality of centerless support means mounted on said frame means, and each such support means adapted for rotating and supporting a ring thereon, a lapping unit for each of said plurality of supporting means including a normally substantially horizontal extending arm having a lapping member at one end and a hand grip portion at the other end, mounting'means for each lapping unit for pivotally mounting the arm of said unit intermediate the ends thereof, reciprocating means including an elongated substantially horizontally extending table common to all of said lapping units and supporting said mounting means thereon, and means operatively connected with said table to'reciprocate the same in a substantially vertical direction, provide relative pivotal movement between an arm and its corresponding mounting means, and provide relative oscillatory movement between the lapping member of each lapping unit and a ring supported on the corresponding supporting means.

12. Apparatus for treating optionally the inside surface or outside surface of a ring, including a pair. of rollers, an axis for each roller,

means for supporting said axes so that they are relatively adjustable radially but maintained parallel in adjusted positions to accommodate rings of various diameters, a single driving means for both rollers including a driving pulley below said rollers rotatably mounted on a line extending vertically substantially intermediate the two axes, means .for mounting said driving pulley, a belt operatively connecting said driving pulley and said two rollers, means for maintaining said belt taut irrespective of the relative radial position of said rollers including a member pivoted at one end and weighted at the other end, an idler pulley rotatably supported on said member intermediate the ends, with said belt extending under said idler pulley and with said idler pulley bearing down thereupon in a position substantially on said vertical line,- means for treating a corresponding to a ring s ring supported and rotated on said rollers and adapted to treat rings having inside and outside surfaces, with said surfaces varying in a radially spaced position from the rollers, said treating means including an arm spaced above said rollers and extending substantially parallel with the axes therefor, and vertically adjustable means supporting said arm to raise or lower the same to a position corresponding substantially to radial spacing of the treated surface of a ring with reference to the rollers.

'13. In apparatus for treating a surface, the combination of centerless supporting means ineluding a. pair-of axially supported driven rollers to support and roll thereon rings having an inside treatable surface or an outside treatable sur'- face and adapted to be carried in the same position thereon for treatment of either surface, treating means having a surface above said two rollers engageable with a ring surface, with said two means being relatively movable in a manner toprovide oscillatory movement between the engagedtreatable surface and the treating surface,

said treating means including a-unit having a head at one end with a treating surface thereon, said head being of a size to fit within a ring to treat the inside surface thereof and said same head being optionally movable with said unit to a position above a ring to treat the outside surface thereof, means supporting said unit and having a. portion permitting movement of said unit in a vertical direction relative to said rollers to move the head therewith to various selected vertical positions above said pair of rollers to treat corresponding selected ring surfaces, and means for moving said unit and the head therewith toward and away from a supported ring.

14. In ring treating apparatus having center- 'less support means for rotating and supporting thereon optionally a ring having an inside treatable surface or a ring having an outside treatable surface, the combination of a treating unit having a treating portion at one end with a treating surface thereon above said centerless support means, said treating portion being a size such that the same portion flts within a ring to treat the inside surface thereof and is movable to a position above a ring to treat the outside surface thereof, said treating unit having .a hand grip portion at the other end thereof to move said treating unit and said treating portion therewith, and means spaced from said centerless support means in an axial direction supporting said treating unit intermediate the ends. thereof including an adjusting portion to provide for vertical adjustment of said treating portion above said centerless support means to adjust said treating portion to various vertical positions face being treated.

OTTO BTORZ. 

